lovest and take it, and it only, for this it is that carrieth her
to her country, and when thou hast mastered it, thou hast
mastered her. And beware lest she wile thee, saying, 'O thou who
hast robbed my raiment, restore it to me, because here am I in
thine hands and at thy mercy!' For, an thou give it her, she will
kill thee and break down over us palace and pavilion and slay our
sire: know, then, thy case and how thou shalt act. When her
companions see that her feather-suit is stolen, they will take
flight and leave her to thee, and beware lest thou show thyself
to them, but wait till they have flown away and she despaireth of
them: whereupon do thou go in to her and hale her by the hair of
her head[FN#68] and drag her to thee; which being done, she will
be at thy mercy. And I rede thee discover not to her that thou
hast taken the feather-suit, but keep it with care; for, so long
as thou hast it in hold, she is thy prisoner and in thy power,
seeing that she cannot fly to her country save with it. And
lastly carry her down to thy chamber where she will be thine."
When Hasan heard her words his heart became at ease, his trouble
ceased and affliction left him; so he rose to his feet and
kissing his sister's head, went down from the terrace with her
into the palace, where they slept that night. He medicined
himself till morning morrowed; and when the sun rose, he sprang
up and opened the staircase-door and ascending to the flat roof
sat there till supper-tide when his sister brought him up
somewhat of meat and drink and a change of clothes and he slept.
And thus they continued doing, day by day until the end of the
month. When he saw the new moon, he rejoiced and began to watch
for the birds, and while he was thus, behold, up they came, like
lightning. As soon as he espied them, he hid himself where he
could watch them, unwatched by them, and they lighted down one